Katz denies appeals of sacked library trustees

At least three of the Queens Library trustees ousted by Borough President Melinda Katz have had their appeals for reinstatement shot down by Katz.

The six Queens Library trustees ousted by Borough President Melinda Katz have had their appeals for reinstatement shot down by Katz.

Douglas Grover, who represents the six trustees removed by Katz two weeks ago, said the trustees were notified by Katz’s office Tuesday evening of the rejection.

“After dismissing the Trustees, it’s hardly surprising that the Borough President rejected their appeal. It’s one more reason the Court must step in and halt the damage Ms. Katz has already done to the Library and the further damage that would surely follow,” Grover said. “For more than a century the Library has provided excellent service to the community, free from political interference and favoritism. She wants to toss that aside, using an ill-conceived law that we believe is unconstitutional.

“The threat to the independence of the Queens Library should be of concern to every nonprofit group in New York and to every citizen.”

A voicemail left at Katz’s office Tuesday evening was not immediately returned.

Also on Tuesday, federal court Judge Roslynn Mauskopf denied a request by the sacked trustees for an immediate hearing on a temporary restraining order.

She wrote in her decision that the original suit, filed on Friday, was already granted an expedited schedule and that it made no mention of the appeals process.

“Plaintiffs have failed to provide any factual or legal basis from which the Court can glean the impact, if any, of those appeals on the instant application, including their critical impact on the analysis of imminent harm as plaintiffs now argue,” Mauskopf wrote.